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Nissan has now sold 75,000 Leaf EVs in the US

Somehow it doesn't surprise us that the 75,000th Nissan Leaf electric vehicle sold in the US would go to a guy from Portland, Oregon. Rishabh Mehandru, who first experienced the Leaf through a lease a couple of years ago, took the full plunge with a 2015 model and ended up being No. 75,000 (ding, ding, ding!). You've got to love those repeat customers. The Intel engineer has a 30-mile commute, so, theoretically, the Leaf does the trip with about two-dozen miles to spare in its single-charge range. The Portland dealership that sold him the car says its Leaf customers are an "even" mix between new and repeat. Nationwide, Nissan boosted its Leaf sales last year by 34 percent to 30,200. Things have cooled off a bit so far this year, as Leaf sales through February were down 15 percent from the same period in 2014 to 2,268 units. As of the end of last month, Nissan Leaf's US sales since its late-2010 introduction trailed sales of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in by exactly two units. Which means we can expect General Motors' announcement that the Volt has hit 75,000 units any day now. Take a look at Nissan's press release below. Related Videos: Nissan delivers 75,000th all-electric LEAF in the U.S. to Oregon family NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan celebrated with Rishabh Mehandru of Portland, Oregon, as he purchased the 75,000th Nissan LEAF in the United States. This is Mehandru's second Nissan LEAF after leasing his first one two years ago in an effort to reduce the emissions he was putting into the air. "I'm a runner, and when I ran outside I found that I was inhaling a lot of exhaust from the gas-powered cars that passed me on the roads," said Mehandru. "I instantly became aware of the amount of fuel I was burning, and that's when I first decided that I wanted to get an electric car." Mehandru, senior engineer at Intel, has a commute of about 30 miles and enjoys the spirited driving experience Nissan LEAF has to offer. "When the lease was up on my first Nissan LEAF, I knew that I didn't want any other car. I had to have another Nissan LEAF," said Mehandru. "I love how quickly I can get up to speed on the highway-even my three-year-old son notices how zippy it is-and I like that I don't have to stop for gas." Mehandru's excitement for his electric car is contagious, and he recently convinced a friend to also purchase a Nissan LEAF.

Chevy Volt 'acceptable,' Nissan Leaf 'poor' in new IIHS safety tests

Ford C-Max Hybrid also scored "acceptable" rating. With US Nissan Leaf sales up almost 30 percent during the first half of the year, the only thing that might be able to stop the battery-electric vehicle is a good, stiff barrier. Unfortunately, thing's aren't always pretty when that happens in the real world, according to new tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Things with the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in are a little bit rosier, though. The two plug-in vehicles were part of a batch of a dozen vehicles that just went through the IIHS's "small overlap" test, in which the driver's side front corner of the vehicle is crashed into a rigid barrier at 40 miles per hour. Out of the dozen, only the Mini Cooper Countryman was given a "good" rating. Five vehicles, including the Volt and the Ford C-Max Hybrid, were rated "acceptable," two were "marginal" and two, including the Leaf, were "poor." Plug-in vehicles are unique in the crash-test context because of their relatively large battery sizes. In the Volt's case, the driver had a "low risk" of injury, said the IIHS. But the Leaf's crash substantially pushed back the instrument panel and steering column, creating a scenario where the driver was "likely" to sustain leg injuries. The batteries in both the Leaf and the Volt passed safety tests specifically targeted at things like thermo and electrical properties and overall integrity. "Nissan is proud of the Leaf's 'Good' rating in all other IIHS tests, a 4-star NCAP rating from NHTSA and its IIHS Top Safety Pick rating in all previous years since the car's release," the company said in an e-mail sent to AutoblogGreen. "As for the performance of the 2014 Leaf in the 'small overlap frontal test,' Nissan will continue to review these and other results from the IIHS 'small overlap frontal test' as we seek opportunities for improvement." Check out the IIHS's press release and small car crash-test video footage below. Range of ratings: Small car ratings run the gamut in challenging small overlap front test The Mini Cooper Countryman is the only small car to earn a good rating among the latest group of 12 cars subjected to the Institute's small overlap front crash test. Two electric models and a hybrid also are in the mix, with varied results. The electric-powered Chevrolet Volt (with a gasoline engine "range extender") earns an acceptable rating, while its battery-electric rival, the Nissan Leaf, earns a poor rating.

2019 Nissan Altima vs Honda Accord vs Toyota Camry: How they compare

NEW YORK — Midsize family sedans may be losing sales to small SUVs, but hundreds of thousands of the things still left dealerships last year. The 2019 Nissan Altima introduced here at the New York Auto Show replaces one of the segment's best sellers, joining a pair of other best-sellers, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which were both redesigned last year. The Hyundai Sonata also received a surprisingly thorough refresh for 2018. Therefore, the segment is fresher than ever, providing car shoppers who haven't been evangelized by the mighty SUV an excellent group of choices. To help them, or you, out in that family sedan search, here's how the new 2019 Altima compares to the 2018 Honda Accord, 2018 Toyota Camry, 2018 Hyundai Sonata, and for reference, its 2018 Altima predecessor. Cue the spreadsheet! Engines and Transmissions The Altima once again has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, but Nissan indicates that 80 percent of it is new. Regardless of its newness, it is more powerful, boasting an extra 9 hp and 3 lb-ft of torque. Frankly, that's not much compared to the Camry's and Accord's gains, which also better the new Altima. Uniquely, though, the Altima's base 2.5-liter is available with all-wheel drive – something only the Subaru Legacy offers (albeit as standard equipment). Oddly, all-wheel drive is NOT available with the Altima's bigger 2.0-liter turbo. Ah yes, that turbo engine. Gone is the familiar 3.5-liter V6, leaving Toyota as the lone V6 hold-out (again, the Legacy is another exception, albeit with a flat-6). As is typical, the Altima's new 2.0-liter turbo inline-4 produces less horsepower than its naturally aspirated predecessor, but it has considerably more torque. Its output essentially matches the Accord's new 2.0-liter. Unlike the Accord, though, every Altima has a CVT standard. The Camry and Sonata have traditional automatics – many would say they are better for it – though the Hyundai's gear count differs by engine selection. Nissan didn't release fuel economy figures for the 2019 Altima. The previous generation trailed the latest Accord and Camry by 2-3 mpg combined, according to EPA estimates. Passenger Space Nissan's surly men in suits were quite cross when we tried to get into the new Altima, so we can only comment on the interior space in spec format. As it is, the new Altima actually has less head- and legroom than before. There's more shoulder room, though, so your local linebacker will be happy.